Tetramorium lucayanum Wheeler

Type location Bahamas (Tetramorium lucayanum sp. nov., Wheeler, 1905b: 100, illustrated) Nassau, Queen's Staircase, 2 workers - no images on Antweb (April 2015)
junior synonyms
rectinodis (Tetramorium rectinodis n. sp., Menozzi, 1942: 176, illustrated, worker; provisional synonymy by Brown, 1964b: 131) from Fernando Po I. (Musola, by H. Eidmann, 9.ix.1939 - no images on Antweb (April 2015)
sexdens (Tetramorium lucayanum Wh. v. sexdens n. var., Forel, 1915c: 357, worker; synonymy by Brown, 1964b: 131) from Ireland, in a hothouse in Dublin, sent to Horace Donisthorpe - see below and  http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0909174
waelbroeki (Tetramorium camerunense Mayr var. Waelbroeki n. var., Forel, 1909b: 53, worker; synonymy by Brown, 1964b: 131) from Zaïre, Kinshasa, by Waelbroek; (see Bolton, 1995) ? type see below.
Santschi (1914d: 367, Fig. 29) gave an illustration of T. camerunense waelbroeki .

Wheeler's (1905b) description is at . Forel's (1909b) description of waelbroeki is at . Forel's (1915c) description of sexdens simlpy had, as agreeing with the description of Wheeler but the mandibles with 6 teeth instead of five. Menozzi's (1942) description of rectinodis is at . Brown's (1964b) verification of the type and comparison with West African forms is at , this has a descriptive notes and comparison with Tetramorium camerunense. Bolton's modern descriptions (1979, 1980: 340, illustrated, full-face view, alitrunk and pedicel profile, pedicel dorsum) are at and .

Note: There seems to be a disparity between
1. The apparent type form, as described by Wheeler (1905b) - head quadrangular, anterior border of clypeus transverse, erect hairs long and sparse on the body (as illustrated by Santschi, as "Tetramorium camerunense Mayr v. Woelbroecki" from Lagos, Nigeria), including Menozzi's rectinodis, which was described in comparison with Tetramorium fernandensis now synonymised with Tetramorium pullulum; colour black with mandibles, antennae and tarsi brownish. There is a slight anomaly with the Wheeler type description as he had "gaster glabrous", whereas all African specimens have short erect hairs on the gaster.
2. The form illustrated and in the description by Bolton (1979, 1980) - head with more convex sides, smaller eyes and more abundant erect hairs. That, as shown in the lower photomontages, also is brown rather than near black and has finer denser longitudinal rugulation.

Bernard (1952) described it as purely western, from Congo to Ghana. From Guinea, Bernard (1952) he listed findings, as "T. camerounense Mayr variety waelbroecki Forel" from Mt. Nimba - 2 workers from B1.28, Ravin I of Mount Tô.

Collected in Ghana at CRIG by Bolton (1980) and Akosombo (C. Collingwood), later from cocoa at Kade using pkd by Majer (1975, 1976b), with 3 workers in a single sample; and from leaf litter in the semi-deciduous forest zone (3 specimens, at Poane and Kade under cocoa) (Belshaw & Bolton, 1994b).

Type form

Nigeria specimens (Taylor, 1980a: 49). WORKER. TL 2.96 mm, HL 0.72, HW 0.65, CI 90, SL 0.54, SI 81, PW 0.45
Sculpturation of longitudinal rugae on all except the gaster. Erect hairs moderately abundant, long, fine and yellow. Clypeus with a moderate median carina and slightly emarginate. Propodeal spines relatively long, narrow, sharp, straight and pointing upwards; metapleural lobes sharply triangular. Petiole with a vertical anterior face, right angled junction with the dorsal face; posterior face slightly sloping from a rounded junction with the dorsum. Colour very dark red-brown near black, extremities lighter and shiny.

Moderately common at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, Idi Ayunre, probably subarboreal (B. Bolton; B. Taylor, both in Bolton, 1980). The synonym waelbroeki was used also by Wheeler (1922) for a variety of camerunense from Lagos (F. Silvestri). Nests in dead wood on the ground, and in dead wood and crevices on living trees, including cocoa. Will tend aphids. Also found on oil palm. Reported as collected at Mokwa in the savannah area (C. Longhurst) (Bolton, 1980).

This is at the lower end of the Bolton (1980) size range.

Menozzi's rectinodis drawing (right) was of a worker from Fernando Po. This also was described as black with lighter appendages.

The photomontage of a "type" worker of waelbroeki is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0915025.
Although this has a "type" label, this is from the Santschi collection and from Nigeria; presumably the specimen in his drawing (above) and an exact match for the Nigeria specimen I drew, above.

Oxford University Museum specimens

Tetramorium lucayanum B Taylor det.	Ghana S Sky Stephens 06G0043	2006	In personal collection of S Sky Stephens sexdens form	1
Tetramorium lucayanum B Taylor det.	Gambia R W Goff 02.xii.2009	Abuko Nature Reserve 13°23'41" N 016°38'41" W	Hand collected Type form	1
Tetramorium lucayanum B Taylor det.	Mali Z Yefremova & V Kravchenko	xii.2010 Sevare 14°32' N 04°06' W	Niger River, bank of lagoon CDC trap	2
Tetramorium lucayanum B Taylor det.	Cameroun A Fotso Kuate Tetramorium spC	27.vii.2007 Matomb 03°54'30" N 11°25'58"	Quadrat in forest	1
Tetramorium lucayanum B Taylor det. Queen	Gabon Y Braet Gabon 156	17-22.v.2006 Pongara 00°34' N 09°19' E	Leaf litter, winkler funnel	1

The photomontage is of a specimen from Gambia, Abuko Nature Reserve; collector Roy W Goff, 02.xii.2009.

Note: the clypeus does not have a clearly discernible notch; the mandibles are smooth.
TL ca 3.70 mm, HL 0.93, HW 0.80, CI 86, SL 0.72, SI 88, Eye Length 0.21, EI 26, PW 0.58
This is at the upper end of the Bolton (1980) size range, with larger eyes.

The photomontage is of a worker from Cameroun; Matomb; collector A Fotso Kuate (fk tetramorium spc).

Form illustrated by Bolton (1979, 1980) - head with more convex sides, smaller eyes and more abundant erect hairs.

The photomontage of a syntype worker of sexdens is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0901206

The photomontage is of a worker from Ghana, collected by S Sky Stephens (06G0043).

The photomontage is of a worker from Mali, Sevare; collected by Z Yefremova & V Kravchenko (95464).

The photomontage is of a dealate queen from Gabon, Pongara National Park; collector Yves Braet (Gabon 156).